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Now Open: The Gourmet Deli (and other ramblings)

Last night, we feasted on Goose Confit Cassoulet. It was lovely. And surprisingly, it was purchased right here in Whitehorse.

A couple weeks ago The Gourmet Deli opened in Horwood’s Mall. It was a soft opening but once CBC found out that Macarons were in stock, word spread quickly.

First, I’d like to remind people that Macarons and Macaroons are not the same thing. Pedantic, I know. Macarons are like a fancy little meringue sandwich in lovely colours with a domed top and bottom. Macaroons are a coconut and egg white cookie.

I actually prefer macaroons, but that’s because I’m a coconut fiend.

Oh, and you might be wondering what Cassoulet is… well, it’s a traditional French dish, with pork and white beans cooked slowly. Kind of stew-like. The store has goose, duck and pork varietals. (If they aren’t sold out! I know the owner has been surprised by the early interest in his goods!)

Anyways, this post is all over the place, but so is the store – in a good way. You have dry cured sausages, canned meals, terrines and rillettes, jams, nougat, and lots of Belgian chocolate. And I know I’m missing things.

The Belgian chocolate was quite the find for us. My husband and I were walking past the store just prior to its opening and recognized one of the displays in the store. It was Dolfin – a brand we had recently tried while in Belgium. We had found it in Brussels and wanted to pick up more of it for family and friends once we got to Antwerp. But it was surprisingly difficult to find! Eventually my husband found a shop selling it and we stocked up. Everyone was getting Dolfin chocolate for Christmas.

We went to the airport and, at the last minute, decided to move the chocolates from my carry-on to my checked luggage. (Again, it was a lot of chocolate.)

We checked our bags and didn’t see them until we arrived in Ljubljana. From landing to luggage in Slovenia was mere minutes (good work, guys!) and we were off to our Airbnb. Everything was grand… until we realized the chocolates were gone from my bag.

So thanks again for confiscating my knitting needles, stealing a hundred dollars worth of chocolate and having the most disgusting bathrooms I’ve ever seen in an airport, Brussels.

Needless to say, we thought the Dolfin chapter in our lives closed when we returned (nearly) empty-handed to Canada. (I say nearly because we kept two chocolate bars in the carry-on for just that flight and had since held onto them as a memento of the trip.)

Anyways, we’ve already spent a bunch of money there and that probably won’t stop as long as interesting goods keep coming in and it’s next to a knitting store that I visit at least once a week.

One other thing to note: I recently learned that this is quite the revival for Horwood’s mall. In my short time here, it’s been the place to go for gifts and treating myself. But I learned on Twitter that it’s a recent development. Obviously I’ve seen the deli and the cheese shop move in, but many of the other tenants haven’t been there more than a couple years.

The development there may have hindered growth in other areas of town, principally the old Canadian Tire (I think?). I was wandering through there and saw that there was supposed to be a sort of local food court that has never materialized. I was trying to check out Robbyn’s Grill which was in that mall but it was temporarily closed and I’ve now learned that it is closed for good.

It’s not all sad stories for that space, Tokyo Living recently opened up. It’s like a tiny tiny Daiso. If you’re not familiar, it’s like a Japanese dollar store, even though many of the items are more that a dollar. My husband tires quickly of the Daiso experience, but the two floor store in Richmond, BC is a really fun shop. If you’re ever there, pick up some Meiji chocolate almonds. You will think the price is a bit steep, but you will thank me afterwards.

Back around to chocolates. They must be on my mind after finishing the leftover Halloween treats!